Socii States hold Top-Level Negotiations

Sandum, Kumanoese, and Überstadti leaders have met yesterday evening to discuss and negotiate the provisions of a multinational agreement to create a citizenship-sharing and economic zone. The meeting began late at approximately 20:40 SLT (EST, GMT-5). Representatives first gave national reports and then continued on to the topic of the Überstadti plan and the questions that remain by the delegates.

At 20:42, Kumano gave its first national report, discussing its new non-alignment policy and referenda results and their constitutionality. At 20:51, Überstadt gave the second national report, discussing embassy row and public holidays that are forthcoming. At 20:52, Sandus gave the third national report, discussing business as usual, a lack of outstanding economic work this Summer, and cultural work done in the past several months. Reports were completed at 20:56, whence King Adam I moved on to introducing the Überstadti Plan for the new Socius system. At 21:05, Adam asked about the governance of the system and raised the outstanding question on the right to apply versus the right to immediate citizenship — the overwhelming question of the current negotiations. In discussing governance of the system, all three leaders decided that heads of state ought to meet quarterly — at a determined date by the equinox or solstice, administrative holidays in Sandus — in a council where each state has one vote; the voting model shall be based on consensus. At 21:17, all three parties discussed member-states’ rights and concluded that member-states could revoke the socius citizenship of socii through executive power, with certain qualifications having been met, or through a vote of the legislature. At 21:24, the economic question was raised by King Adam I concerning whether the system will represent a free trade zone or simply a preferential trade zone. Finally, at 21:27, it was decided the meeting ought to be adjourned, at which time, King Adam I decided he would prepare a document of economic options for the economic question; Hatsu Ryuho would ask the Kumanoese parliament’s opinion on non-alignment and the negotiations; and, Sôgmô Sörgel would write his opinion on the controversial question of “right to apply” or “right to receive automatically citizenship,” and if the rights granted to socii are inherent or must be applied for.

The guiding principles of the new socius system are based off the tripartite Sandum Philosophy but have been made universal amongst all three nations, divorced from Sandum national identity to be made more applicable to Kumano and Überstadt. These principles are humanitarianism, socialism, pluralism, and independence.

These negotiations come after months of back-door diplomacy to discuss the creation of a multinational citizenship-sharing accord, based off of Sandus’s socius citizenship, and made universal and reciprocal across all three states of Sandus, Kumano, and Überstadt. The first mention of the accord was on 26 May 2015, when the Sôgmô met with the Kumanoese leader Hatsu Ryuho in Kumano, a socia civitas. Various questions have been raised about provisions between the Sôgmô and the Überstadti King, leading to the drafting of the Überstadti Plan.

The Sandum socius citizenship was promulgated in September 2011 when a law was enacted by the Sôgmô determining three classes of citizenship. In those days, these were full or civilo citizenship, foreign or socilivo citizenship, or auxiliary or peregro citizenship; today, these are now known in Latin, instead of Sandus’s former official constructed language ‘Sancta,’ as civis, socius, and peregrinus. Civis citizenship is known for its granting of universal rights afforded in the Founding Law of the State of Sandus and in the September 2011 law. Socius citizenship is granted to citizens of other states who have a socius treaty with Sandus, thereby giving their citizens the ability to claim Sandum socius citizenship. Socii states which receive socii treaties do so because their national philosophies and national ideologies are closely aligned with the Sandum Philosophy. Furthermore, today, socii citizens are able to possess nearly all the rights afforded to full or civis citizens, as they can attain suffrage by performing Sandum charity taxes — which are due each equinox and solstice. Peregrinus citizenship was first considered to be a status comparable to resident status, where one must wait one-month before becoming a civis or full citizen; today, this class is also a way for non-civis residents — who wish to avoid the administrative hassle of waiting one-month — to take part in and be protected by Sandum rights and laws. The Sôgmô is also considering a proposal to provide for socius citizenship on an individual basis, though in a way that preserves Sandus’s ban on dual citizenship.

The negotiations will result in the creation of an intermicronational organisation led by the heads of states of the socii states, as well as the potential for shared citizenship across all three states. Though provisions are currently being debated, the effect will be that this tripartite association will divorce part of the socius system from Sandus and make it universal and between all socii members. The result of the creation of the association, as King Adam I explained, will be that Sandus will lose complete control over the socius system as it currently stands with Überstadt and Kumano, but it will be able to liberate Sandum national interests from those of socius citizens who exercise suffrage and take part in the Council. No provisions have yet been made for the ascension of other states into the socius system.

The provisions for the socius system will likely remain in Sandus, however, meaning that Sandus can continue to have socius relationships outside the purview of the new tripartite association.